Carter Red
by shoetingstar
Summary: A Carter and Reese twist on the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale-folktale. Featuring a very special surprise visit from a character from another fandom (Hint: MARVEL. That's all I'm sayin'). This takes place just after the devastating ending of The Crossing. No smut, some romance.


Warning: This story is on crack. It was created during a few glasses of wine (not high quality or imported but respectable). It probably makes no sense and all the sense, at once. I hope you have as much fun and heartbreak as I did while writing it.

**Bzou: Werewolf. In some version of this classic tale he is a wolf only. **

**Carter Red**

By shoetingstar

Simmons returned each day, for many days afterward. Hiding in the woods just outside the family cottage, her scent permanently lingered around him. The moon hung especially low on this night and he nearly jumped over it when he felt the tap-tap-tap on the fur of his right shoulder blade. He was sure they had caught up to him. His fierce growl of anger turned into astonishment at another bzou staring back at him.

"Pardon me," this bzou said calmly. "I am just so excited about meeting another of my kind."

It was a female. He stared back at her dumbly, confused. "I thought I was alone."

"As did I...until I met more of our kind just recently. I'm Lucia."

"Take me to the others," he commanded (he did not ask for things) after Lucia gave him some of the particular details of the group. He had somehow never encountered them since he had been in hiding. He needed a new organization to get back on his feet.

"Of course. In fact, I'm dying to introduce you to my colleagues."

She was clearly excited – Simmons was sure he saw her blue tinted eyes changed to a gleaming apple green. She gestured with a dainty paw for him to follow her up the path. She walked with such regal grace, yet he took in the clear, eager notes of n alpha leader. She was no weakling. He was clearly in for quite an adventure.

"Just the other day I heard the most delightful tale," Lucia began. "A woman – an infamous hunter – one of those goody-goody types – and finally one of our own catches her. Completely unaware of what was coming, she is attacked in front of her boyfriend. The boyfriend is injured and left holding her as she is dying in his arms. It was a bloody mess. Can you imagine? How delightful! I wish I could have been there and seen him begging for her to live, or such other nonsense."

Simmons had nearly forgotten about Carter Red in his new quest to meet other bzou.

"That-that– was me!" he said, proudly pointing a gnarly claw toward himself. "The dumb broad had no clue she was walking into a trap!" He howled in laughter at Carter Red's stupidity and weakness.

"That's the best part!" Lucia joined Simmons in his fit of unadulterated joy at his achievement. "Know that I understand you," she continued. "You do these remarkable acts, taking what is yours and no one gives you credit. They just side with the poor, weak humans. It is a shame. You are a treasure. A genius. She had to be put back into her place."

"Exactly." Simmons was delighted to find someone else who understood him. Quinn, got it, but he was as good as dead now.

"Except. You let her get away." The additional menace in Lucia's voice was unmistakable.

They finally arrived at a small clearing spotlighted by a milky moon. The air was different here, thick with a heightened awareness of the wildlife hidden among the foliage and darkness. Flattened sweet grass formed a perfect circle within the surrounding tree landscape.

Then he saw red – not the vibrant hue, but the woman – Carter Red. He could see her infamous hooded cape across the clearing. She was alone. She was also tied to one of the trees, arms pinned at her sides. He could see a straw picnic basket at her feet, with his heightened sense of sight.

Simmons turned to Lucia for explanation.

"I'm offering her to you. Just let me stay with you."

He had been alone for too long. Yes, having a partner would be more than nice.

"Go! Then we will feast."

Simmons bounded across the circle toward Carter. It was indeed her. He salivated in response to her now familiar scent. He would not fail this time.

"Again we meet." He played it cool and sarcastic. After all, he had the upper hand. He tipped over the pitiful little basket. "Thanks for the snack but I prefer something meatier."

"Oh Wolf, what big teeth you have!" Carter said, clear and firm.

Lucia had made her way to their side. "Ah! Her fear has made her senseless!" The female Bzou licked the side of Carter Red's smooth, soft face. Carter pulled her head away from this invasion of personal space and gave Lucia a sharp stare.

Simmons was thoroughly enjoying this. He looked at Lucia with a smile before answering Carter Red.

"All the better to eat you with, my dear!"

"Oh Wolf, what big claws you have!" Carter said.

"All the better to tear you apart with, my dear!"

"Oh Wolf, what pointy arrows you have!" Carter Red said, with a mocking tone. There was no hint of fear.

"All the better to…ugh!" He yelped, interrupted by the arrows that penetrated his torso.

"The better to avenge you with, my friend," said a voice from behind them. A familiar voice.

The man in the suit. The fucking man in the suit! He watched in horror as Reese revealed himself in the open.

Yes, but he also had help. They wouldn't get away with this…

With Simmons effectively immobilized, Reese set down the bow and arrows, and loosened the ropes around Carter.

"Thanks," she said quickly, before her boot made direct contact with Simmons' already scarred face.

"Perhaps you get the point now," she said, gleefully.

Why wasn't Lucia doing anything? Simmons wondered.

"Ooh, bad puns. Joss have been spending too much time with John," said Lucia aka Loki Odinson, rightful future king of Asgard, and brother of Thor, just before he magically morphed from "Lucia" into his true, and now naked form.

Carter was focused on the task before her. "Is it touching that cold, shriveled, little heart of yours, Simmons?" Carter twisted the arrow a little deeper into his chest, Simmons cried out in agony through clinched teeth.

"I never realized how cruel she could be," Loki said to Reese. "It's…lovely."

"You bitch. You should be dead," Simmons managed to hiss.

"I got this," Reese announced impatiently. He pulled a massive ax from behind tree. "I just need a clear shot of his neck..."

"Don't you think I should do the honor?" Carter protested. "He did, you know, try to kill me."

"He shot you in front me and left me too wounded to help. You were bleeding in my arms."

"With all due respect, John. His ass is mine."

"I'm supposed to protect you. This is my call, Joss."

While they tried to settle the argument, a decision was made for them. The ax came down swiftly, effectively cutting off Simmons head, sending him on a permanent vacation.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist," said a smiling Loki, still naked and now decorated with blood. "He was a much bigger prick than even you had led me to believe," he told Carter.

Reese pulled clothing that had been hidden in the picnic basket.

"How about you get dressed?"

"How about you two join me?"

In a blink of an eye, Carter and Reese were also naked.

This was a new, unwanted problem for John Reese. Any fantasies of being naked with Carter did not include any of the current circumstances: werewolves, mythological trickster-gods…Yeah, none of these had been included or were wanted.

"Will you…Do something about him?" He said, in calm frustration to Carter, while he tried to keep his eyes on her beautiful round eyes, and not the beautiful curves of…other parts of her.

"Loki…" but before she could finish they were now fully clothed again. Including Loki, clad in his own suit that was identical to the one Reese usually wore, newly cut hair, and long black coat that billowed in the wind. Reese was casual and rugged in jeans and leather. Carter had on the red cape again and a short black leather dress that was impracticable but looked damn fine.

"Better, my love?" The more affectionate he was toward Joss, the more annoyed Reese became, so of course he kept it up. "I must say that I do have conflicted feelings about you and that red cape, however."

Carter playfully wrapped the questionable item tighter around her body. "I think it's a good look for me."

She peered down at the now headless human form that had taken Simmons' place. She could not help but feel a ping of sadness. She saw yet another wasted life of another dirty cop – a true wolf. Thankfully, she knew what was important.

"Loki can you take us home now? I need to see my son."

"I'm sure Finch is worried," Reese added.

"And Fusco," said Carter.

"What if you returned to find that your son had taken over his father's kingdom?" Loki inquired.

"I'm pretty sure I don't have to worry about that happening," Carter said, amused.

"How did you meet him again?" Reese asked, as Loki continued with the parenting-related questions.

"I have no idea," Carter said, bewildered.

"You have not forgotten our agreement, I pray?" Loki said, pointedly.

"How could I?" She said earnestly, and received a warm grin from Loki in return.

Reese looked on with disapproval. He knew that he could not stop Carter from anything she wanted to accomplish, including helping Loki, if such a thing was possible, and avenging her own (near) death.

"I just had the strangest dream."

John Reese woke up in a panic, barely able to breathe. Disoriented, he had to recall his environment.

The hospital.

ICU.

The beep of medical equipment.

Carter.

Gone!

No. NOT dead.

The Avengers played on the flatscreen against the wall, the volume turned low.

He blinked back the details of the wild dream he'd been having as he crossed the room to check on Carter. Paul had taken Taylor home. The poor kid needed some sleep. It was only him and Joss now.

She was alive but not awake, and guilt nipped his heels because his own selfish needs were being fulfilled. The way he saw things, a comatose Joss Carter was better than a dead and buried in the ground Joss Carter, in any case. This person he could see, touch and even tell about the latest news. The other one could not be reached, her number was disconnected. He did not want to live in a world where Joss did not exist. He could not even function at the thought. She showed him that good was possible, and real, and it moved mountains every day. He wasn't hopeless, or too far gone. She taught him that.

He took her hand. Just like many times before, he willed that she would squeeze his in return.

"Ah! The most resourceful human being I know," the distinguished voice gave John a start. "You know only family members are allowed in here."

"I am family," John said firmly.

Then he saw that it was not a nurse or hospital staff. Mr. Alastair Redgrave, a man Reese remembered meeting, but was not sure existed, stood in Carter's hospital room. The older man was still smartly dressed in an impeccably tailored gray-silver suit. Wisdom baptized with a healthy dose of amusement was his constant demeanor.

"It's you? Am I still dreaming?"

"Are we ever really awake?"

"I am - with her."

"I am, you say. Present tense. I love a good optimist."

"That other wish never actually became reality."

"This is a crossroads. Not an end. Things must run their due course."

"I will kill Simmons." Reese found himself confessing, without knowing fully why he was sharing the information. "I can't leave her, but he is mine to take care of."

"Oh, John. I'm sorry to inform you that someone else has beaten you to that ugly business," Redgrave said, amused at John's surprise. "Simmons had a way of courting death. This time his proposal was enthusiastically accepted."

Had. Past tense. John did not experience the full satisfaction he had expected feel at this moment. He felt cheated.

"Please, no pouting. It would be better that you were here and not in jail when she wakes up. You must agree with that?"

Redgrave had left another business card on the side table – a simple white card with a black-inked drawing of a dragon on it.

"When?" John began. He had briefly taken his eyes off the man.

He was gone as quickly and easily as he had appeared. It was just John and Joss again.

Joss' hand squeezing his was the only answer he received.

THEN END.

NOTES:

-MR. ALASTAIR REDGRAVE first appeared in one of my other Careese stories: "She's No You" – check it out! That one has smut. If you're into that sort of thing. Wink-wink.

-In the Norse mythology, when Loki is let loose at the end of the world, he is to "hurry in the form of a wolf to swallow the moon."

Disclaimer: Regarding characters related to the television show Person of Interest. I DO NOT OWN PERSON OF INTEREST or its characters. This story was written for entertainment purposes only and with the creative affection of a fan. No profit was made from this work. No copyright infringement intended.

Disclaimer: Regarding characters related to the MARVEL universe. I DO NOT OWN ANY OF IT. This story was written for entertainment purposes only and with the creative affection of a fan. No profit was made from this work. No copyright infringement intended.

MR. ALASTAIR REDGRAVE, Tapestry Artist, is however an original (or unoriginal, depending on who you ask) character of the author's. He may be available for special engagement for the right price.

©2014 This is an original work of Shoetingstar (this author's pen name). All Rights Reserved. This story may not be reproduced in any manner, without the express permission of the author. All such requests should be emailed to Shoetingstar through this site.


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